Many people do not know this and are inadvertently consuming extra calories every day which can cause weight gain over time. It is important to know the 3 “C’s” when it comes to beverages – Choosing Calories Carefully. By doing this, you can cut out calories to achieve your health goals. Staying hydrated is essential for life, but not all beverages are created equal. Some fluids contain calories while others do not. When someone follows a healthy eating plan, he/she does not need to rely on drinks for energy needs. Non-caloric drinks include: water, tea, coffee and/or some diet drinks. Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is on the rise in the U.S. Any drink with added calorie-containing sweeteners is labeled sugar – sweetened. Sugar-sweetened drinks include: soft drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened-coffee drinks, smoothies, flavored teas and others which have sugar as an ingredient listed on the label. If sugar is listed first through third or fourth on the label, that means sugar is the most prominent ingredient in that drink.
Caloric beverages may make you feel full, but studies show that people feel fuller when they eat solid foods. You may not feel full after drinking fluids for the following reasons:
1. Fluids empty from the stomach faster than solid foods causing you to feel hungry shortly after drinking a beverage.
2. Carbohydrates add most of the calories to drinks – especially sugar-sweetened drinks. Since protein or fat rich foods/drinks add calories to drinks, these nutrients are less quickly absorbed due to the protein and fat content leaving you feeling fuller longer than carbohydrate-rich foods and drinks.
3. More effort is made to eat solid foods resulting in more time to feel full. Taking time to chew and talk during meals gives the stomach time to “tell” the brain that it is full. People drink beverages more quickly. Since fluids empty quickly from the stomach, less time exists for the stomach to “tell” the brain that it is full.
Research shows that people who drink more sugar-sweetened beverages before a meal tend to eat more calories than those who drink much less sugar-sweetened beverages both before and during the meal. Because of this, people are unaware that they may need to eat less and can drink more calories during their meals. This, in turn, leads to weight gain. Another good research example of the effects of sugar-sweetened beverages is that people who cut out calories from drinks lost more weight than those who cut out the same amount of calories from solid foods. When someone is trying to lose weight, cutting back on soft drinks and specialty drinks such as lattes and smoothies could be the best way to go. Let’s take a look at the facts about these drinks so that educated decisions can influence our drink choices.
Specialty coffee drinks are a favorite “pick-me-up”, but they often have high amounts of sugar and calories. A 16-ounce Vanilla Latte from Starbucks contains 210 calories. Of course, when you change the milk type the calories go down. The same drink with 2% milk has 190 calories, fat-free milk offers 160 calories and Soy milk gives you 180 calories.
Smoothies are another example of a beverage that has lots of extra calories. Many people think smoothies are “healthy” and for the most part they are. They can be a good way to add fruit to an eating plan. However, the smoothie you buy is packed with extra sugar. Instead of buying a smoothie, make your own at home with low fat flavored yogurt, juice and frozen fruit.
Soft drinks provide calories too. Some soft drink companies are beginning to make their most popular drinks with zero calories. For example, Coca-Cola created the product “Coke Zero: with no calories. On the other hand a 12-ounce can of regular Coca-Cola contains 145 calories; Dr. Pepper and Pepsi have 150 calories. A 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola has 240 calories and Dr. Pepper and Pepsi have 250 calories.
We should get most of our daily fluids, from water, tea, coffee and low-fat milk. Water is essential for metabolism and other important body functions. Unsweetened tea and coffee provide no calories and have been linked with several health benefits. Select low-fat milk products which are a great source of calcium, vitamin D, and high quality protein and whole fruits instead of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks and fruit juices. Use the 3 “C’s” when it comes to beverages – Choosing Calories Carefully can help cut out calories to achieve your health goals.
For more information, please contact the Extension office at 325-646-0386.
